ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LARGE MASSES OF FLOATING INVASIVE PLANTS IN LAKES AND PONDS IN THE REGION... CONSERVATION CORRESPONDENT BRIDGET BUTLER HAS THE STORY ... sSTING CHIP AND JOANNE WRIGHT HAVE SUMMERED ON LAKE IROQUOIS SINCE THE EARLY 70S. THEY SAY THERE'VE ALWAYS BEEN POND WEEDS, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 90S THAT AN INVASIVE WEED SHOWED UP. 14.16 JO I think this is milfoil in the middle 14.18 MILFOIL CHOKES OUT NATIVE AQUATIC PLANTS. IT GROWS TO FORM DENSE MATS THAT CAN MEAN TROUBLE FOR SWIMMERS AND BOATERS. GO PRO MILFOIL 36.52 JO Look at this stuff though, yuck! I could pull all day.36.56 NOW THE COUPLE HELPS TRACK INVASIVES ON THE LAKE AND KEEPS AN EYE OUT FOR NEW ONES. 22.11 JO It grew out of a desire to help in any way. And a fear too really, because we knew we had the milfoil. 12.19 we had the milfoil. 12.19 1.02.49 BRIDGET With over 800 lakes and ponds in Vermont, the state has a lot of water to cover when it comes to invasive species. That's why they're looking to volunteers for some help. 1.02.59 BETHANY SARGENT COORDINATES THE VERMONT SARGENT COORDINATES THE VERMONT INVASIVE PATROLLERS PROGRAM. SHE SAYS THEY'VE TRAINED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY PEOPLE, BUT CAN USE MORE. 49.11 BETHANY We teach them the nuts and bolts of what a aquatic invasive species is, what are the species we are most concerned about and give them some of the skills they need to identify them. 49.26 SARGENT SAYS THEVOLUNTEERS ENJOY BEING OUT ON THE WATER AND CARE DEEPLY ABOUT FIGHTING INVASIVES. 43.56 BETHANY It's really an early detection program. So if we can learn about an new invasive before it gets established in a lake or pond, then we have more management options 44.08 SOMETIMES EARLY DETECTION CAN HELP ERADICATE A PLANT, OR AT LEAST CONTROLTHE SPREAD. 44.24 BETHANY Once we know that it's in a lake or a pond then we can make sure that any boats that are coming out of that lake or pond know how to take prevention steps so that they don't bring it to another body of water. 44.37 MAKING A LITTLE LESS WORK FOR VOLUNTEERS AND A LITTLE MORE TIME TO ENJOY THE SPOILS THIS SUMMER. FOR ECHO AND NEWS CHANNEL FIVE, I'M CONSERVATION CORRESPONDENT BRIDGET BUTLER.